Abstract: An electrosurgical system with an electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator to which the electrosurgical instrument is connected. The electrosurgical generator has a processor and at least one generator data memory as well as optical and our acoustic signaling and/or display means. The electrosurgical instrument has at least one instrument data memory in which a data set with structured data is stored, wherein at least some of this data represent signaling instructions. The generator data memory contains an operating program for controlling the operation of the electrosurgical generator in conjunction with the electrosurgical instrument and, by means of the operating program, the processor is configured to control during the operation of the electrosurgical generator the signals or notifications to be output by the signaling and/or display means in dependence on the data representing signaling instructions, which is stored in the instrument data memory of the electrosurgical instrument.